Latest news with #StateWaterPlan
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas gov. signs bill establishing task force to tackle state's water ‘challenges'
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas' governor has signed a bill that establishes a task force to tackle the ongoing water challenges in the state. Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday signed Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172, creating the water program task force. Human remains found in 1973 identified as missing KCK teen 'Thanks to this legislation, there will now be a bipartisan strategic plan with a dedicated funding source to tackle Kansas' most pressing water challenges,' Gov. Kelly said. She said the task force will create a long-term investment program for water with a dedicated revenue source—similar to the state's rolling 10-year transportation programs. The task force will also evaluate current funding for water and the state's water planning statutes. Reports detailing its findings will be submitted to the governor and the Kansas Legislature – but not until 2026 and 2027. The task force will prepare and submit a preliminary report to the governor and Legislature on or before Jan. 31, 2026, and a final report on Jan. 31, 2027. The report will include recommendations on the water program's long-term structure to address the following concerns: Kansas' current and future water needs The roles and responsibilities of the state, municipalities and regional entities Identifying a dedicated funding source for the State Water Plan fund The task force is charged with evaluating major risks to Kansas' water quality and quantity, including any impact on current and future economic growth. It will also examine current funding for water and determine whether this funding is sufficient. The governor said the task force will include 13 voting members spearheaded by a bipartisan group of legislators – six of whom will be appointed by legislative leadership. It will also include a five-member water planning work group, which will be tasked with reviewing and modernizing the State Water Resources Planning Act. Kelly said the task force will represent every corner of Kansas by including at least one member from each of the five conservation regions of the state. In 2024, Kansas released its Water Plan Implementation Framework, which highlighted that more than 100 Kansas communities are at risk of running out of water within one generation. 'This is a critical step forward in addressing Kansas' water challenges,' Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said. 'This bill reflects a bipartisan legislative commitment to ensuring sustainable water resources for future generations.' FOX4 reached out to Gov. Kelly's office to ask specifically what water challenges she's hoping to address with this bill. 'Kansas currently is facing significant water issues that have been widely reported on for years now,' her office told FOX4. 'The state is facing significant issues with the depletion of groundwater in the Ogallala Aquifer in Western Kansas, where some communities only have less than 25-50 years of usable life left in the aquifer for the people and the economies. 'In the east, our reservoirs, which supply 2/3rds of Kansans with their drinking water, are filling up with sediment – meaning we risk not having enough supply in the case of a drought or if we want to bring in economic development. Across the state, many communities are facing issues with water quality – from nitrates to uranium – our small towns are dealing with growing challenges to deliver clean water to their residents.' In public meetings in 2024, citizens also brought up concerns about PFAS in the water and ongoing concerns about East Lake. Gov. Kelly said her administration and the Kansas Water Authority conducted 14 public meetings across the state in 2024 to gather feedback from Kansans on local priorities and needs for a long-term program. The results of these meetings were published here. In addition to Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172, Governor Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills: Substitute for Senate Bill 45: Adjusts how certain K-12 students are included in graduation rate calculations. Substitute for Senate Bill 54: Enhances transparency by creating a process for judicial review of third-party funding agreements in court proceedings. House Bill 2016: Ensures that active military members, their spouses, and dependents that are stationed in Kansas but have maintained residency in another state are able to serve as poll workers for Kansas elections. The bill also allows county election officers to remove the name of a registered voter from the registration books when an obituary for such voter is published online, as well as clarifying technical requirements for advanced ballot applications. House Bill 2030: Excludes dealers and manufacturers of non-motorized trailers from certain provisions of the Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Act. House Bill 2118: Provides new protections for Kansas consumers by requiring any private entity that solicits a fee for filing or retrieving certain government documents to provide disclaimers to consumers that said solicitations are not made by or on behalf of a government agency. House Bill 2122: Increases the annual license fees of electric and hybrid vehicles, ensuring that electric vehicle drivers pay their fair share to maintain Kansas highways. The bill also aligns quarterly truck payment statutes for interstate and intrastate motor carriers. House Bill 2168: Extends the amount of time required for certain reports to be filed by public land surveys from 30 to 90 days, aligning Kansas with industry standards. House Bill 2242: Authorizes the governor to accept requests of concurrent jurisdiction from the federal government in certain circumstances, allowing juvenile incidents that occur on federal military installations to be adjudicated with state resources and in state juvenile courts which are better equipped to address such matters than federal courts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas establishes task force to address water supply funding
Video above is from KSN News at 6 on Monday, April 7, 2025 TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — The state is establishing a long-term water investment task force to evaluate funding strategies for Kansas' water supply. The task force will establish a dedicated funding source and submit recommendations to Kansas leadership in 2026 and 2027, based on the state's 10-year transportation plans. 'Developing a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable water program is long overdue and a significant step forward in ensuring Kansas' water supply is preserved for generations to come,' Governor Laura Kelly said in a news release about the signing of Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172. Kansas lawmakers approve 12 new laws Monday The initiative will address issues related to water quality, quantity, infrastructure needs, and economic impact, while evaluating current funding levels for the State Water Plan. The task force will deliver a preliminary report by 2026 and a final report by Jan. 31, 2027, outlining funding, governance roles, and strategies for long-term water security in Kansas. Kelly proposed the task force in her 2025 State of the State Address. To prepare, her administration and the Kansas Water Authority held 14 public meetings in 2024 to gather citizen input, which was compiled into a Strategic Implementation Framework to guide the task force's work, according to the news release. In addition to the water task force bill, Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills: Substitute for Senate Bill 45: Adjusts how certain K-12 students are included in graduation rate calculations. Substitute for Senate Bill 54: Enhances transparency by creating a process for judicial review of third-party funding agreements in court proceedings. House Bill 2016: The bill allows active military members, their spouses, and dependents stationed in Kansas but maintaining residency in another state to serve as poll workers. It also permits county election officers to remove a registered voter from the rolls upon the publication of their obituary online and clarifies technical requirements for advanced ballot applications. House Bill 2030: Excludes dealers and manufacturers of non-motorized trailers from certain provisions of the Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Act. House Bill 2118: New protections for Kansas consumers require private entities that charge fees for filing or retrieving certain government documents to inform consumers that these solicitations are not from a government agency. House Bill 2122: Increases the annual license fees of electric and hybrid vehicles, ensuring that electric vehicle drivers pay their fair share to maintain Kansas highways. The bill also aligns quarterly truck payment statutes for interstate and intrastate motor carriers. House Bill 2168: Extends the amount of time required for certain reports to be filed by public land surveys from 30 to 90 days, aligning Kansas with industry standards. House Bill 2242: Authorizes the governor to accept requests for concurrent jurisdiction from the federal government, allowing juvenile incidents on military installations to be handled in state juvenile courts using state resources. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Industry leaders to meet this week to address issues plaguing Texas infrastructure
As Texas' industry and economy grow, so too do its infrastructure needs. This week, industry leaders are convening to discuss the state's pressing transportation, energy, water, and digital infrastructure issues. Infraday Texas is returning to Austin on Wednesday, where industry leaders, lawmakers and engineers will address how Texas' unprecedented growth is impacting the state's infrastructure systems and explore sustainable solutions to these challenges. Texas recently received a "C" grade on its 2025 infrastructure report card from the nation's premier society of civil engineers. The report rated Texas' overall infrastructure as better than the national average but urged lawmakers to increase investment in water, wastewater and transit systems. More: Texas infrastructure fares better than U.S. average but needs major investment: report The increasing need for investment in infrastructure across the state comes as Texas experiences exponential population growth and rising resource demands, particularly for water and energy. According to the 2022 State Water Plan, Texas' population is expected to increase by more than 22 million people by 2070, raising water demand by 9%. However, water supply is projected to drop by 18% over the same period. Texas lawmakers are addressing the state's looming water crisis this session, with bills aiming to invest billions of dollars into upgrading and repairing aging infrastructure or developing entirely new water projects. Along with increased population, businesses — particularly technology and artificial intelligence companies — have turned to Texas to build large data centers that require massive amounts of energy and water to operate. This, coupled with necessary transportation needs and digital protection, has created an urgent need for investment in the state's infrastructure industry. "Texas is at a pivotal moment where bold investments, smart planning and technological innovation must come together to modernize our infrastructure," Infraday CEO Ken Bauco said. Infraday will feature over 75 speakers to discuss leveraging AI to solve infrastructure problems, climate resilient policies and planning, water conservation and grid reliability from Texas municipal leaders, state lawmakers and industry experts including from CapMetro, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin Energy and Accenture. "We provide a platform for public sector agencies to talk about new technologies, new capital programs, new initiatives and what's coming down the pipeline in terms of growth and new projects that their cities are involved with," Bauco told the American-Statesman. Infraday Texas is all day Wednesday at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center in Austin. Those who are interested can register for the event online. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Infraday Texas to host sixth conference in Austin this week
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas names winners of water project grant funding
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Water Office announced Thursday the list of communities that will receive water project funding as part of a $26 million grant program. The program provides funding and technical assistance to communities across the state. 'Water is vital to the livelihood of our communities and Kansans,' Gov. Kelly said in a news release. 'This funding is a crucial step in addressing pressing water issues to safeguard our water supply for generations to come.' USDA gives Kansas $25M for water issues In 2023, Kansas boosted funding for the State Water Plan Fund and established two new grant funds: the Technical Assistance Grant Fund and the Water Projects Grant Fund. In the first year, 34 municipalities and special districts received $18 million. 'The expansion of the State Water Plan to include support for municipalities and water districts continues to be a critical component towards ensuring communities across the state have access to a reliable supply of clean water,' said Senator Kenny Titus, Kansas Senate District 18. The grant program received more than 300 applications in its first year, with an additional $10 million allocated in 2024 to meet high demand. 'We are grateful for the Legislature and Governor Kelly for approving this additional funding,' said Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office. 'We received a large number of applications again this year. This funding is necessary to Kansas communities.' More than 270 communities applied for funding in 2024, requesting a total of $237 million. Grants for technical assistance were awarded to 39 communities, and 24 grants for water projects were given to 70 communities and special districts related to water. 'Our small agricultural towns are the lifeblood of our state,' said Senator Rick Billinger, Kansas Senate District 40. 'And this funding will help these communities have the clean and affordable water access they need to thrive.' A total of $26,287,103 was awarded to the following communities: Technical Assistance Grant Fund: Barber County RWD No 1 $324,116 Finney County Sewer District 1 $165,000 Wallace County RWD No 1 $452,000 Ellis $83,400 Bunker Hill $176,200 Leon $250,000 West Mineral $33,000 Onaga $192,490 Franklin County RWD No 1 $18,500 Cloud County RWD No 1 $132,600 Kismet $146,500 Jewell County RWD No 1 $237,500 Norcatur $134,700 Hartford $68,000 Anthony $50,000 Sylvia $304,900 Toronto $250,400 Ozawkie $45,000 Harper $83,800 Lecompton $125,000 Towanda $390,900 Finney County RWD No 1 $307,500 Cawker City $241,650 Liberty $25,000 Randall $38,300 Parsons $92,000 Potwin $52,180 Montgomery County RWD No 9 $55,000 LeRoy $102,000 Reno County RWD No 1 $94,600 Chase $366,100 Lakewood Hills Sewer Improvement District $909,000 Wilson County RWD No 4 $39,700 Sylvan Grove $148,400 Goessel $50,000 Ellis County RWD No 1C $219,600 Alma $575,600 Bronson $307,075 Washington County RWD No 2 $64,000 Water Projects Grant Fund Marion County Improvement District 2 $458,880 Troy $824,520 NWKP&DC/Palco $500,000 Moscow $635,300 Marion County RWD No. 4 $1,414,760 Barton County RWD No. 2 $980,000 Blue Mound $517,000 Bartlett $416,310 Collyer $13,745 Goff $94,850 West Mineral $664,000 Harveyville $1,272,556 La Harpe $750,000 Leondardville $289,140 Girard $1,289,800 Quinter $350,000 Humboldt $3,000,000 Geary County RWD No. 4 $192,516 Cuba $334,000 Hamilton $467,000 Huron $520,805 Pretty Prairie $33,651 Moundridge $542,000 Kanopolis $1,196,141 Loan Assistance: Liebenthal $24,103 St. John $531,772 Gorham $59,506 Kensington $184,084 NWKP&DC/Hill City $1,104,952 Gove $132,110 Plainville $141,891 'I am so pleased to see the list of rural communities and rural water districts across Kansas that have been awarded grants to mitigate their specific water issues,' said Representative Lisa Moser, Kansas House District 106. 'Water is the lifeblood of our state. Without it, nothing else matters.' For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Texas reps file bills to oppose Marvin Nichols Reservoir
AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) – State Rep. Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant and State Rep. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston have both filed bills in opposition of the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir. East Texans push back against reservoir that threatens their homes 'Private property is a sacred right in America. This should especially be true in our great stateof Texas. And yet, our people face a continued threat from big cities who wish to take away their land for the benefit of strangers to our communities,' a press release from Hefner's office said. 'That is what the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir project is all about: taking thousands of acres from Northeast Texans to solve the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex's water problems.' Hefner's House Bill 2109 would require Texas's water development board to remove a proposed reservoir from the State Water Plan if it doesn't start construction within 50 years of it first being included in the plan. VanDeaver's House Bill 2114 prevents engineering firms from working on constructing reservoirs if they were involved in the preparation of a state or regional water plan. 'I am grateful to Rep. VanDeaver for his outstanding leadership on this critical issue and look forward to working with him to protect our property rights. Generations of East Texas families have lived and died on these lands, and it is their right to allow their heirs to do the same. These lands are their heritage,' said Hefner. 'DFW must find another solution to its water woes without depriving our people of their land.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
